The United States is undoubtedly a service economy. In terms of total employment, manufacturing took the cake in 36 states in 1990; it dominates just seven state economies today. Unfortunately, that leaves struggling many product-based companies, which have had trouble breaking into the service sector. But the Internet of Things has changed the game. Now, thanks to smart technologies, it’s easy to see how a refrigerator, pair of shoes, or even a football helmet can provide a service.

Sometimes, good companies make bad product development decisions. Those can lead to failed products like Microsoft Bob, a living room-like user interface designed for novice PC users circa 1995. But most often, mistakes dig a pit of "soft costs" - wasted developer time, buggy software, or poor user acquisition that gulps down a product's profits. As technology experts who work with startups, enterprise corporations, and any companies in between, these are the technology product development mistakes we see most often:

Poor business or product strategy can affect all types of companies. It's not just limited to starry-eyed startups, nor are tried-and-true brands safe from it. The reality is that, across all industries, somewhere between 25 and 45 percent of products fail. Of course, it’s tough for business leaders to foresee every snag their company might encounter. While hindsight is 20/20, some of these missteps may have been avoidable. Here are eight instances where some very well-funded products were forced to shutter.

The web is awash in claims that 2016 will be the year of virtual reality. And at first glance, that appears to be true. Multiple high-profile headsets debuted this year, ranging from the Oculus Rift to Samsung’s Gear VR to HTC’s Vive. But the VR community has a little secret: The technology’s blank pages are missing the entertaining, educational content that it will need to thrive. And content creation takes time, especially because the VR community is in the midst of developing the components, best practices, and user base that more mature technologies enjoy.

How do you shop for coffee? That’s the question Blue Bottle Coffee — a portfolio company of Google Ventures — began its design sprint with. While the micro-roasting startup had made a name for itself in the California and New York coffee scenes by 2013, its web presence needed work. To sprint its way to a better site, it brought in Google Ventures and Montreal-based design agency Dynamo. Blue Bottle’s most interesting finding? Contrary to expectations, the sprint helped it realize consumers don’t purchase coffee based on its origin; consumers care about preparation. In just five days, the consultants helped Blue Bottle prototype a beautiful new website engineered to help customers decide on coffee suited to their brewing preferences.